We helped save babies!

Having fun at the walk

Yesterday was the March for Babies Walkathon for Tuscaloosa County at the UA Rec Center. John Huston and I attended and we had a blast! There were lots of people there with their babies and I recognized a few that I took care of. Northport Medical Center came in 4th place with donations for a total of $7,000. We won first place for our t-shirt design! John Huston was so good during the walk as he talked and smiled most of the time and fell asleep. After the walk, we were sitting in the shade and while I was giving JH a bottle, a lady came and sat beside us on the bench with her 9 mo old. The baby was a lot smaller than JH and had been born with CMV so she was a little delayed. John Huston whipped his head around to look at her and then wanted to sit up facing her. He then flirted with her by cooing, smiling and reaching his hand towards her. It was so cute! Thanks to everyone who supported us in the walk and for the donations. I hope we can have more people to walk with us next year! I will post the group picture of NMC when it comes in.

Don't Blink!

Wow! Has it already been 3 months! Even though Lloyd and I feel like we have aged 3 years these past few months, it's so hard to believe that he is already this old. I believe he is a good 13 lbs now but I won't find out until his 4 month check up how big he really is. John Huston's hand-eye coordination is getting better. He gets happy with the realization that he is lifting an object and shaking a toy. He is starting to play with the bendy ball and loves to shake the rattle toy that the Broussards gave him. He hasn't grabbed his feet or touched his toes yet but he is throwing those legs up in the air and noticing them. The play gym is starting to be a favorite as he loves to grab at the toys hanging down, especially the elephant. He is always blowing bubbles and sticking his fists in his mouth. His and everyone's clothes are always getting wet with his slobber. Everyone says that he is starting to teethe, but the pediatrician says not until at least 4 months. He also is noticing the TV. I have tried to get him to watch his Baby Einstein DVD but he gets mad at it after 5 minutes. He has great head control but is still wobbly while starting to like his Bumbo seat. He loves to be outside and loves swing in the big wooden one that Lloyd bought us that is in the backyard. He also is quite the social butterfly now. He becomes especially alert when guests visit, flashing a grin when they say hello to him. He'll also respond with coos to oohs and aahs received from strangers. What a flirt! He loves to be naked too! He is happier and happier every day but knows how to throw a temper tantrum already with that high pitched shrill cry. He mainly cries now when he gets tired of something too long or when he gets hungry.
We have a busy weekend coming up. I want to give a shout out to Aunt Jennifer's birthday today! I hope it is wonderful! The family is getting together tonight for some good ole' Japanese cooking. Tomorrow is the March of Dimes walk. Let me know if you would like to walk and John Huston and I hope to see you there. On Sunday I am helping host a baby shower for a dear friend and co-worker of mine. She is having a girl..Karlee Brooke...scheduled for the end of May. I am so glad the weather is going to be warm and sunny this weekend!

I survived!

So I survived my first week (pattern) back to work since having John Huston. It was really hard, especially with our babysitter crisis. I hope no one has to go through what we did! I did get low census in the middle of the pattern (Sat night) and got to stay at home so it was nice not to have to work 7 days straight. Plus that helped Lloyd out with not having JH all weekend by himself. I had to stay up with him all day Wednesday when I got home from work, but thank goodness he took 2 naps and we snuggled up in the bed together and caught up on some Mommy & baby time. He was so happy to have me home with him all day. A friend of mine told me that going back to work just makes you value your time with your baby even more. I see exactly what she means. Here are a few things that I missed most while working:

his little cries early in the morning when he is waking up ready to eat for the first time

his big grin after he eats and is ready to start the day

him kicking and cooing on the changing table first thing in the morning

me looking down at him while he is nursing and he stops and makes that heartmelting smile

John Huston having that special conversation with me while I dress him

watching him go crazy in his bouncey seat kicking, blowing bubbles and cooing

cuddling on the couch with him and taking naps together

rocking him to sleep for his naps and feeling his body go limp in my arms

hearing his snores and smacking of lips while sleeping

and of course, sleeping at night

Those are just a few things I noticed that I missed the most on Wednesday and this morning. During the weekend, he started waking up during the middle of the night with a wet diaper and wouldn't go back to sleep unless Lloyd changed it. Then he would go back to sleep and wake up around normal time to eat (5-6 am). I even put a size larger diaper on him at night and he still wakes up with it. This little man does not like to be wet or dirty one bit!

When a door closes, A window opens

Well as I was getting ready for work on my first night back, at 9:00 pm we got a call from our babysitter to tell us that she wasn't going to be able to keep John Huston at all. So after freaking out since we were needing someone at 6:00 am the next morning, I called my mom and she agreed to come and take care of him at my house on Thursday and Friday since she had some time built up to take off. Thank goodness! Instead of crying on my way to work because I was leaving my baby, I was crying also because we had no babysitter after having things lined up for over a month. Lloyd was wonderful and handled everything the next day while I was sleeping (or tried to sleep) and we were able to find something temporarily for John Huston. My family has been so wonderful in helping during the little crisis. Hopefully I can change shifts soon and it can be easier to find someone to keep him for a few hours a day during the week. My first night was very busy as I had to go to work in the Wellbaby nursery, so I was able to keep my mind off of things. The next night was harder because I had to work a 12 hour shift and leave my house around 5:30 pm. John Huston was awake and just a cooing and smiling at me when I left. I felt horrible. But I knew he would be in good hands with his Daddy as Lloyd is used to taking over in the evenings and helping me out with JH and knowing his schedule. So as this window has opened and has made me feel a little better, I hope we can find a bigger door that leads us to a permanent babysitter and a better schedule for our family.

Back to the Real World

Wednesday was my first night back to work. I decided to have a Mommy and John Huston day. It had been a while since we had one of these because of us putting down hardwood floors in the house and other spring time chores that needed to get done. I cleaned the house the day before so I could spend all of my attention on John Huston. We used to combine it with a "pajama day" on rainy days but since we were meeting with his babysitter we got dressed. We played with his suffed animals and toys, "rock rock" in the glider while I sang to him and rubbed my chin against his sweet little head, sat on the front porch and went for a stoller ride on our street. I am going to miss being his full time Mommy 24/7 but at least I am giong back to work 7 days on, 7 day off so I can have 2 weeks out of the month off with him. We are so happy that ever since Easter night, he has been sleeping 8 hours. I just thought it was because he was so exhausted from all of excitement and stimulation of Easter, but he has been sleeping soundly like this ever since. I guess he knew he better since I was going back to work and his Daddy would be getting up with him ;)


Before I got ready to leave, I gave him some extra loving. I kissed him many times in that special spot on his forehead where there is a gap in between his eyebrowns. I sang and talked to him while he chimed in on his "whooahhhs and bluuuueeess." I gave him his bath a little longer with extra bubbles and we played with his fish and rubber ducky. Lloyd gave him his bedtime bottle while I finished getting ready and he was passed out. We put him to bed and I couldn't kiss him goodnight because I knew I wouldn't able to drive to work. He did great and slept until Lloyd left for work that next morning.

HoPpY Easter!

John Huston had a wonderful Easter! He woke up to lots of goodies from the Easter Bunny. He got a basket from Lloyd & I, grandparents MeMe & Pop, and a bunny and personalized silver rattle from great-grandmother Nanny. His basket from us had pacifers, teething rings, Baby Einstein DVD, books, booty cream and a rubber ducky. He also got a floor play gym that he loves to reach and grab at the toys hanging down and look in the mirror. MeMe & Pop got him pool stuff for this summer...two baby floats, sunglasses, sunscreen, boat toy, hooded towel, swimming diapers; big blue bunny and Auburn outfit. The Broussards surprised him with some more teething rings and a bendy ball.

look what Easter Bunny brought

Another view of my basket

JH decided to take a nap during the Easter egg hunt and when he woke up he immediately wanted a bottle. So I hunted eggs for him and found the golden egg! I found $9.00 total and we put it in his piggy bank. Everyone enjoyed holding and spending time with him. He was so exhausted from all of the excitement that he slept from 9:30 pm until 5:45 am last night. Eight hours...yay! I know it is probably a one time thing but it would be so nice if he continued. We went back for his pictures this morning and he did great. It will take 1-2 weeks for us to see the proofs and I can't wait to see them!

Easter Weekend

We started out Easter weekend with a bang! Literally. Lloyd and I decided to put down hardwood floors in the den and hallway and he started on Thursday with lots of banging in the house putting them down. He had great help with cousins James, Wen and Justin this weekend and has just a little bit left to do. We are planning on being done by the time I go back to work this Wednesday. I sure do hope so because the house is a complete mess!!


Also on Thursday John Huston and I went to Demopolis to have his 3 month/Easter pictures made. He did so well with the first scene in his Easter outfit but then after we changed for the Mommy & me pictures, he was tired of being overstimulated and said "no more!" So we are heading back Monday to finish them. Wish me luck!


Friday I met with my work friends for lunch and they wanted to see John Huston again before going back to work. He was a good little boy and showed out for the girls with his flirting and smiling. It was so funny when Kellie got him from me to hold him, he whipped his head around and gave me an awful look like "Mommy, why aren't you holding me anymore?" I guess he is a Momma's boy afterall.


Saturday was cousin Halle's 1st birthday party. She was so precious opening her gifts and was a hoot eating her cake. She first acted like it was a 'no no' to put her fingers in it and make a mess. We put Halle and John Huston together and they were sooo cute!

John Huston & Halle

We can't wait for John Huston's first Easter!